Light For The Darkness
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Contents
"Light for the Darkness" by Keith Wagner
"Different but Together" by Keith Wagner
"Waiting in Line" by C. David McKirachan
Light for the Darkness
by Keith Wagner
Isaiah 9:1-4
Several years ago I wanted a good flashlight for Christmas. So my wife gave me a Magna Flashlight. It is extremely bright. It is small enough to carry in your pocket. It even has an extra bulb in the end of the cylinder. One evening I was reading the directions to make sure I was operating it properly. I noticed that it said something about turning the flashlight into a candle. I thought, that would be really helpful for our Christmas eve service. I wasn’t sure how to transform it into a candle so I had to read additional instructions. Voila! I now have a really cool flashlight that is also a candle. My flashlight not only has great power, it has multiple uses. There is no limit to the power of light.
The prophet Isaiah spoke to people in darkness. The Israelites were powerless and consequently losing their faith. They lived as an oppressed people with little hope of surviving. To give them hope Isaiah said, “Those who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” They had the power to endure, and by letting their light shine for others their faith in God would continue to be relevant.
One time I was visiting with an elderly woman who had been out walking one evening. She walked further than she had realized and it began to get dark. She didn’t see well in the dark and as a result she could not find her way home. Not knowing which way to turn she sat down on a curve and hoped a passerby would come to her aid. After a time, a car turned the corner, its’ headlights beaming down the road. Now that the street was lighted the woman realized where she was and she knew immediately the way that would lead her home. After the light showed her the way she walked home in confidence.
In the book, Chicken Soup for the Soul at Work, there is a story of a young man who started a dime store business in a small town. He was a good man, honest and friendly. When he reached a very old age he found himself lying in a hospital bed, dying.
The man summoned his three adult children to his bedside. His business had become successful and he wanted one of his children to take over as the future president of the company. He gave them each a dollar bill and told them to go out and buy whatever they wanted. But, whatever they bought it had to fill the room from corner to corner.
His children accepted the challenge willingly. Each was excited for the opportunity to lead the family business. The first child returned with two bales of hay. He took the hay and threw it in the air, filling the room with hay. But, in a few moments the hay settled on the floor. The second child returned with two pillows. He tore open the pillows and feathers filled the room. But, after a few moments they too settled on the floor.
The third child returned and the father said, "And what did you bring?" He answered, "Well, Dad, I took the dollar to the store and got change. I invested 50 cents, gave 20 cents to the church and 20 cents to charity. I took the remaining dime and bought two things; a candle and a pack of matches." He then lit the candle with a match, reached over and turned off the lights in the room and the room was filled with light. "Well done, my son. You will be the president of my company," said the father.
Like the man’s son, each of us has a light to shine. A single flame can light the way for someone in darkness. A single act of kindness, a word of encouragement can make the difference, helping others to find their way.
We overcome the darkness when we use our light to help others find their way. We can also look to the light of God to help us when we are lost, stuck or simply overwhelmed. Israel was not chosen merely for their own good but to serve others. The servant is a channel whereby the power of God is revealed.
Benjamin Franklin came to the personal conclusion that the lighting of streets would make them safer. He persuaded the citizens of Philadelphia to give street lights a try by hanging a beautiful lantern on a long bracket by his own door. He kept the glass brightly polished and carefully and diligently lit the wick every evening, just before dusk. As people wandered down his street they saw Franklin’s light a long way off. They found its glow friendly and beautiful, but the light also was a point of guidance. Before long, other neighbors began placing lights on their own homes as well. Soon, the entire city was dotted with lights along the streets and the entire city awoke to the value of street lighting. The idea spread and the citizens of Philadelphia became enthusiastic. Later, street lighting became a city-sponsored phenomenon.
In the same way God wants us to be lighting the way for people in darkness. Just as Benjamin Franklin was able to inspire a whole city by putting up a single light, we too can change our community by being a light for God.
* * *
Different but Together
by Keith Wagner
1 Corinthians 1:10-18
The other day someone asked me who I wanted to win the Super Bowl. I responded by saying that it really didn’t matter to me since I have no interest in either team. Perhaps if there were a team from the Midwest I might have more passion for the game. It’s not that I don’t appreciate a good football game now and then, I simply have no loyalty to teams that are so far away.
Our passion for a particular team has a lot to do with where we are and where our loyalties lie. Of course many have no interest in football or sports at all. Take Mary McCarty, for example, a columnist from The Dayton Daily News. In her column several years ago she claimed illiteracy when it comes to sports. She would rather sit and read a good book or visit a museum.
Who do you belong to or who are you loyal to? What activities, teams, organizations or people receive your attention and interest? We live in a competitive world, a world which pulls us in different directions at the same time. We make our choices based on who we are most loyal to. The church is also a part of our lives which demands our time and energy. And within the church there are conflicting opinions and beliefs that sometimes divide us.
Paul was deeply concerned that within the church there were divisions. He appealed to them, “that there would be no dissensions among them, that they be united by the same mind and the same judgment.” Doesn’t this seem unrealistic, to think that we all have to be of the same mind and same judgment? Can you imagine a church, or any organization for that matter, where everyone agrees?
At a previous church that I served there was a very popular minister who was in his prime in the 50’s and 60’s. The church was prosperous and there were many excellent programs. The minister was known for his wonderful messages. The minister retired in 1968, but in the 80’s many still talked about him as if he were still there. Every pastor that followed him could not live up to their expectations of this minister from their past. Consequently there was conflict and dissension among them.
I believe what concerned Paul was “favoritism.” When people of the faith looked to a particular leader or pastor it caused disunity. Paul was very popular and he was very respected. But Paul did not want to be their favorite. Paul wanted their primary loyalty to be to Jesus Christ.
I remember the time my grandmother, whom I loved very much, told me how beautiful the daughter of my first cousin was. We were the same age and often competed with one another. My grandmother had no idea how her statement hurt me. My daughter was beautiful too. In fact she was selected to be a model for the Tiffany Company in New York. My grandmother, who I adored and loved had no idea how her words hurt my feelings.
Paul was concerned that the early Church was going in too many directions. Some were following him, while others were being loyal to Apollos or Cephas. The Church could not be together unless everyone made Christ the center of their loyalty. Unfortunately the Church today is still divided. The divisions are over traditions, polity and personalities.
In the book, Chicken Soup for the Unsinkable Soul, Tim Hansel tells a story entitled The Sound of One Hand Clapping. One time, Jimmy Durante, the entertainer was asked to be a part of a show for World War II veterans. He told them his schedule was very busy and he could only afford a few minutes. But he agreed to do a short monologue. When Jimmy got on stage something interesting happened. He gave his short monologue but then stayed on stage. The applause grew louder and louder and he remained on stage. His monologue continued for almost 30 minutes. Finally, he took the last bow and left the stage. Backstage someone stopped him and said, “I thought you only had a few minutes. What happened?”
Jimmy responded, “I did have to go, but let me show you the reason I stayed. You can see for yourself if you look in the front row of the auditorium” There in the front row were two veterans. One had lost his right arm and the other had lost his left arm. Together they were able to clap and that’s exactly what they were doing, loudly and cheerfully. Their presence had empowered Jimmy Durante to continue.
When we put our own preferences aside and look to others we are being faithful. By putting Christ first in our lives we will not be forced to choose one person over another. By keeping our priorities in line with the teaching of Jesus and the preaching of Paul, our lives, relationships and families will be whole and fulfilled. By being together there will be unity in the Church and God will be praised.
Rev. Dr. Keith Wagner is the pastor of St. John's UCC in Troy, Ohio. He has served churches in Southwest Ohio for over three decades. He is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ and has an M.Div. from Methodist Theological School, Delaware, Ohio, and a D.Min. from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He has also been an adjunct professor at Edison Community College, Piqua, Ohio. He and his wife, Lin, live in Springfield, Ohio.
* * *
Waiting in Line
by C. David McKirachan
Matthew 4:12-23
Some of the most difficult moments in life are those we spend waiting. Waiting to see the doctor, waiting for the traffic to open a way for us, waiting for a delayed flight. All make our pressure rise and erode our good sense. Studies have been done on children waiting. They are left in a room with a snack, told that they are to wait to take it until they are given permission. Evidentially the ones who are best at delaying their gratification tend to do the best in life. They are happier and more successful. Our instant gratification culture has managed to whittle away at attention spans. The average attention span of the average American is down to under five seconds. When I teach public speaking and preaching, I remind the speaker or preacher that unless we are willing to accept our audience as it is and be willing to get and keep their attention, little that we say will get through. They are used to fast phones, fast food, instant gratification. We have a hard time waiting. And no wonder we have a hard time with little things like peace, hope, love, and faith.
Jesus’ relationship with John the Baptizer seems to be all tangled up in waiting. This crazy guy from the desert was waiting for the one who would be the fulfillment of all the prophesy. Jesus seemed to need to go through John. The old translations used the phrase, “It is needful.” They were like dancers, unwilling to take the lead until the moment to step out was clear. And yet they respected each other and were willing to give each other the space to follow their own calls while they waited.
Too often we and our churches are bit by our culture’s rush to where ever it seems to be going. We want it (whatever ‘it’ seems to be) now. We forget that most of the spiritual disciplines have to do with developing a relationship with a being who is “...working his purpose out as year succeeds to year.” That relationship, actually any relationship has to do with allowing the other to be, listening and paying attention to who this other is and what they say, and honestly communicating back in such a way that we stay close. This involves patience, forgiveness, appreciation, generosity, respect... All those old fashioned spiritual disciplines. None of which can be accomplished at a pace we determine is necessary to meet our deadlines.
It’s hard to sell any of this to people who are in such a hurry. There is a desperation exhausting us as it demands that we go faster and do more in less time. Inviting folks to ‘Be still and know that I am God.’ Seems not only nuts but sinful, wrong, and impossible. We know it’s not nuts or sinful or wrong, at least we’ve heard it from our Lord and God’s Word. But too often it’s hard to buy that it’s not impossible.
But in our prayer life, our devotional life, our reading, our worship, our conversations, our celebrations, the discipline of waiting, we pay attention to the simple truth that the kingdom of God is at hand. It can transform those simple moments and value them in a way that prevents us from squandering them, slowing us down as we appreciate them.
I was told recently that I had a torn meniscus in my knee and would need a procedure to make it usable. Actually I was glad to hear I could actually do something about the pain. I was given a date and told to get ready. I felt like I was going through Advent again.
I got a cane to help me maneuver, and take some of the weight off of the knee. But I noticed something. If I used the cane, I couldn’t move as quickly as I usually did. It was less painful, but it slowed me down. And I began realizing how I hurried around most of the time. I’ll be glad to get the procedure. But I will try to take my learning with me. SLOW DOWN!
I think I need to learn to delay my gratification a bit, I need to be willing to wait on the Lord. And I’m working on my attention span. I’m up to.... Look at the kitty!
C. David McKirachan is pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Shrewsbury in central New Jersey. He also teaches at Monmouth University. Two of his books, I Happened Upon a Miracle and A Year of Wonder, have been published by Westminster John Knox Press. McKirachan was raised in a pastor's home and he is the brother of a pastor, and he has discovered his name indicates that he has druid roots. Storytelling seems to be a congenital disorder. He lives with his 21-year-old son Ben and his dog Sam.
*****************************************
StoryShare, January 22, 2017, issue.
Copyright 2016 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
"Light for the Darkness" by Keith Wagner
"Different but Together" by Keith Wagner
"Waiting in Line" by C. David McKirachan
Light for the Darkness
by Keith Wagner
Isaiah 9:1-4
Several years ago I wanted a good flashlight for Christmas. So my wife gave me a Magna Flashlight. It is extremely bright. It is small enough to carry in your pocket. It even has an extra bulb in the end of the cylinder. One evening I was reading the directions to make sure I was operating it properly. I noticed that it said something about turning the flashlight into a candle. I thought, that would be really helpful for our Christmas eve service. I wasn’t sure how to transform it into a candle so I had to read additional instructions. Voila! I now have a really cool flashlight that is also a candle. My flashlight not only has great power, it has multiple uses. There is no limit to the power of light.
The prophet Isaiah spoke to people in darkness. The Israelites were powerless and consequently losing their faith. They lived as an oppressed people with little hope of surviving. To give them hope Isaiah said, “Those who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” They had the power to endure, and by letting their light shine for others their faith in God would continue to be relevant.
One time I was visiting with an elderly woman who had been out walking one evening. She walked further than she had realized and it began to get dark. She didn’t see well in the dark and as a result she could not find her way home. Not knowing which way to turn she sat down on a curve and hoped a passerby would come to her aid. After a time, a car turned the corner, its’ headlights beaming down the road. Now that the street was lighted the woman realized where she was and she knew immediately the way that would lead her home. After the light showed her the way she walked home in confidence.
In the book, Chicken Soup for the Soul at Work, there is a story of a young man who started a dime store business in a small town. He was a good man, honest and friendly. When he reached a very old age he found himself lying in a hospital bed, dying.
The man summoned his three adult children to his bedside. His business had become successful and he wanted one of his children to take over as the future president of the company. He gave them each a dollar bill and told them to go out and buy whatever they wanted. But, whatever they bought it had to fill the room from corner to corner.
His children accepted the challenge willingly. Each was excited for the opportunity to lead the family business. The first child returned with two bales of hay. He took the hay and threw it in the air, filling the room with hay. But, in a few moments the hay settled on the floor. The second child returned with two pillows. He tore open the pillows and feathers filled the room. But, after a few moments they too settled on the floor.
The third child returned and the father said, "And what did you bring?" He answered, "Well, Dad, I took the dollar to the store and got change. I invested 50 cents, gave 20 cents to the church and 20 cents to charity. I took the remaining dime and bought two things; a candle and a pack of matches." He then lit the candle with a match, reached over and turned off the lights in the room and the room was filled with light. "Well done, my son. You will be the president of my company," said the father.
Like the man’s son, each of us has a light to shine. A single flame can light the way for someone in darkness. A single act of kindness, a word of encouragement can make the difference, helping others to find their way.
We overcome the darkness when we use our light to help others find their way. We can also look to the light of God to help us when we are lost, stuck or simply overwhelmed. Israel was not chosen merely for their own good but to serve others. The servant is a channel whereby the power of God is revealed.
Benjamin Franklin came to the personal conclusion that the lighting of streets would make them safer. He persuaded the citizens of Philadelphia to give street lights a try by hanging a beautiful lantern on a long bracket by his own door. He kept the glass brightly polished and carefully and diligently lit the wick every evening, just before dusk. As people wandered down his street they saw Franklin’s light a long way off. They found its glow friendly and beautiful, but the light also was a point of guidance. Before long, other neighbors began placing lights on their own homes as well. Soon, the entire city was dotted with lights along the streets and the entire city awoke to the value of street lighting. The idea spread and the citizens of Philadelphia became enthusiastic. Later, street lighting became a city-sponsored phenomenon.
In the same way God wants us to be lighting the way for people in darkness. Just as Benjamin Franklin was able to inspire a whole city by putting up a single light, we too can change our community by being a light for God.
* * *
Different but Together
by Keith Wagner
1 Corinthians 1:10-18
The other day someone asked me who I wanted to win the Super Bowl. I responded by saying that it really didn’t matter to me since I have no interest in either team. Perhaps if there were a team from the Midwest I might have more passion for the game. It’s not that I don’t appreciate a good football game now and then, I simply have no loyalty to teams that are so far away.
Our passion for a particular team has a lot to do with where we are and where our loyalties lie. Of course many have no interest in football or sports at all. Take Mary McCarty, for example, a columnist from The Dayton Daily News. In her column several years ago she claimed illiteracy when it comes to sports. She would rather sit and read a good book or visit a museum.
Who do you belong to or who are you loyal to? What activities, teams, organizations or people receive your attention and interest? We live in a competitive world, a world which pulls us in different directions at the same time. We make our choices based on who we are most loyal to. The church is also a part of our lives which demands our time and energy. And within the church there are conflicting opinions and beliefs that sometimes divide us.
Paul was deeply concerned that within the church there were divisions. He appealed to them, “that there would be no dissensions among them, that they be united by the same mind and the same judgment.” Doesn’t this seem unrealistic, to think that we all have to be of the same mind and same judgment? Can you imagine a church, or any organization for that matter, where everyone agrees?
At a previous church that I served there was a very popular minister who was in his prime in the 50’s and 60’s. The church was prosperous and there were many excellent programs. The minister was known for his wonderful messages. The minister retired in 1968, but in the 80’s many still talked about him as if he were still there. Every pastor that followed him could not live up to their expectations of this minister from their past. Consequently there was conflict and dissension among them.
I believe what concerned Paul was “favoritism.” When people of the faith looked to a particular leader or pastor it caused disunity. Paul was very popular and he was very respected. But Paul did not want to be their favorite. Paul wanted their primary loyalty to be to Jesus Christ.
I remember the time my grandmother, whom I loved very much, told me how beautiful the daughter of my first cousin was. We were the same age and often competed with one another. My grandmother had no idea how her statement hurt me. My daughter was beautiful too. In fact she was selected to be a model for the Tiffany Company in New York. My grandmother, who I adored and loved had no idea how her words hurt my feelings.
Paul was concerned that the early Church was going in too many directions. Some were following him, while others were being loyal to Apollos or Cephas. The Church could not be together unless everyone made Christ the center of their loyalty. Unfortunately the Church today is still divided. The divisions are over traditions, polity and personalities.
In the book, Chicken Soup for the Unsinkable Soul, Tim Hansel tells a story entitled The Sound of One Hand Clapping. One time, Jimmy Durante, the entertainer was asked to be a part of a show for World War II veterans. He told them his schedule was very busy and he could only afford a few minutes. But he agreed to do a short monologue. When Jimmy got on stage something interesting happened. He gave his short monologue but then stayed on stage. The applause grew louder and louder and he remained on stage. His monologue continued for almost 30 minutes. Finally, he took the last bow and left the stage. Backstage someone stopped him and said, “I thought you only had a few minutes. What happened?”
Jimmy responded, “I did have to go, but let me show you the reason I stayed. You can see for yourself if you look in the front row of the auditorium” There in the front row were two veterans. One had lost his right arm and the other had lost his left arm. Together they were able to clap and that’s exactly what they were doing, loudly and cheerfully. Their presence had empowered Jimmy Durante to continue.
When we put our own preferences aside and look to others we are being faithful. By putting Christ first in our lives we will not be forced to choose one person over another. By keeping our priorities in line with the teaching of Jesus and the preaching of Paul, our lives, relationships and families will be whole and fulfilled. By being together there will be unity in the Church and God will be praised.
Rev. Dr. Keith Wagner is the pastor of St. John's UCC in Troy, Ohio. He has served churches in Southwest Ohio for over three decades. He is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ and has an M.Div. from Methodist Theological School, Delaware, Ohio, and a D.Min. from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He has also been an adjunct professor at Edison Community College, Piqua, Ohio. He and his wife, Lin, live in Springfield, Ohio.
* * *
Waiting in Line
by C. David McKirachan
Matthew 4:12-23
Some of the most difficult moments in life are those we spend waiting. Waiting to see the doctor, waiting for the traffic to open a way for us, waiting for a delayed flight. All make our pressure rise and erode our good sense. Studies have been done on children waiting. They are left in a room with a snack, told that they are to wait to take it until they are given permission. Evidentially the ones who are best at delaying their gratification tend to do the best in life. They are happier and more successful. Our instant gratification culture has managed to whittle away at attention spans. The average attention span of the average American is down to under five seconds. When I teach public speaking and preaching, I remind the speaker or preacher that unless we are willing to accept our audience as it is and be willing to get and keep their attention, little that we say will get through. They are used to fast phones, fast food, instant gratification. We have a hard time waiting. And no wonder we have a hard time with little things like peace, hope, love, and faith.
Jesus’ relationship with John the Baptizer seems to be all tangled up in waiting. This crazy guy from the desert was waiting for the one who would be the fulfillment of all the prophesy. Jesus seemed to need to go through John. The old translations used the phrase, “It is needful.” They were like dancers, unwilling to take the lead until the moment to step out was clear. And yet they respected each other and were willing to give each other the space to follow their own calls while they waited.
Too often we and our churches are bit by our culture’s rush to where ever it seems to be going. We want it (whatever ‘it’ seems to be) now. We forget that most of the spiritual disciplines have to do with developing a relationship with a being who is “...working his purpose out as year succeeds to year.” That relationship, actually any relationship has to do with allowing the other to be, listening and paying attention to who this other is and what they say, and honestly communicating back in such a way that we stay close. This involves patience, forgiveness, appreciation, generosity, respect... All those old fashioned spiritual disciplines. None of which can be accomplished at a pace we determine is necessary to meet our deadlines.
It’s hard to sell any of this to people who are in such a hurry. There is a desperation exhausting us as it demands that we go faster and do more in less time. Inviting folks to ‘Be still and know that I am God.’ Seems not only nuts but sinful, wrong, and impossible. We know it’s not nuts or sinful or wrong, at least we’ve heard it from our Lord and God’s Word. But too often it’s hard to buy that it’s not impossible.
But in our prayer life, our devotional life, our reading, our worship, our conversations, our celebrations, the discipline of waiting, we pay attention to the simple truth that the kingdom of God is at hand. It can transform those simple moments and value them in a way that prevents us from squandering them, slowing us down as we appreciate them.
I was told recently that I had a torn meniscus in my knee and would need a procedure to make it usable. Actually I was glad to hear I could actually do something about the pain. I was given a date and told to get ready. I felt like I was going through Advent again.
I got a cane to help me maneuver, and take some of the weight off of the knee. But I noticed something. If I used the cane, I couldn’t move as quickly as I usually did. It was less painful, but it slowed me down. And I began realizing how I hurried around most of the time. I’ll be glad to get the procedure. But I will try to take my learning with me. SLOW DOWN!
I think I need to learn to delay my gratification a bit, I need to be willing to wait on the Lord. And I’m working on my attention span. I’m up to.... Look at the kitty!
C. David McKirachan is pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Shrewsbury in central New Jersey. He also teaches at Monmouth University. Two of his books, I Happened Upon a Miracle and A Year of Wonder, have been published by Westminster John Knox Press. McKirachan was raised in a pastor's home and he is the brother of a pastor, and he has discovered his name indicates that he has druid roots. Storytelling seems to be a congenital disorder. He lives with his 21-year-old son Ben and his dog Sam.
*****************************************
StoryShare, January 22, 2017, issue.
Copyright 2016 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
